Philosophy in College
by SnowyWolff
Summary: Kariya never wanted to go to college, but all the adults at Sun Garden disagreed. He also thought that nobody could ever fall in love with him, or vice versa. But now, he heads off to college to follow a philosophy course and things might go differently than he had initially thought. MasaAoi.
1. The Life of Kariya Masaki

**Okay, okay, I know I have two other chaptered fics, but this one has been collecting dust for quite a while and I suddenly felt like writing Inazuma again. **

**So this is Kariya x Aoi. Don't like, don't read. Simple as that.**

**Disclaimer: I dun't own Inazuma Eleven. Deal. With. It.**

**Enjoy...**

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**Philosophy in College | Chapter 1 | The Life of Kariya Masaki**

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_What is life? Stupid question to ask oneself. Life is life. Everyone got his or her own. Life is what you yourself make. Or what it becomes if you let others meddle with it. You can't let the past meddle with the present either. That's what they all say. But hey, none of them were ever abandoned and forgotten by their parents. That's life too, they say then. C'est la vie, as the French put it. You only live once. _

_It's stupid. Doing dumb stuff, because hey, you only frigging live once. You know, if you truly only live once, then do something useful with it. Go to school, get your diploma, go to college or get a job, get married maybe have kids, then grow old with your loved one and die peacefully. Again, that's what most people say, or how most people would like to see it. _

_The thing is, I am not like others. I never were. I don't really care about school and as long as I get average grades then it's okay. Neither was my plan to go anywhere near college. A job would be enough and maybe, just maybe, a little love as well... Oh, who am I kidding? No one would ever fall in love with a person like me. I'm not particularly nice; more the opposite of nice actually. I pull a lot of pranks, or actually, used to pull. I grew over that, I think. I should pay senpai a visit sometimes... _

_Anyway, that's off the subject. I also have trust issues and eh... that's all I suppose. I'm not going to say that I'm ugly, because obviously I'm not. But my point is that I'm doomed to be lonely for the rest of my life. Yes, that is my life, Kariya Masaki's life._

Kariya sighed. What was he even thinking? Being alone in his room wasn't exactly good for his state of mind.

"Masaki? Are you coming down? Breakfast is ready," Hitomiko called clearly from underneath the stairs. He wondered if he should go down. He didn't feel like dealing with bratty little kids or the looks and stares he got from older ones. Well, not that there were that many older children, seeing as he was already eighteen, nearing nineteen.

He was one of the few children from Sun Garden who would go to college on Hiroto's money. Hadn't he just thought that didn't want to go? Yes, he had and it was true. He really didn't want to go to college, but Hitomiko had to meddle with it. She had told him that if he wanted to be anything in this society he should study at least something.

When he had refused again and locked the door of his room, she had called Hiroto and with that Midorikawa as well.

When he still refused to even give an answer to the adults in front of his door, they had called for desperate measures. So an hour or so later, Nagumo had busted down his door and dragged him downstairs. Once seated on a kitchen chair, he got another lecture from Nagumo on how important school was, to which Kariya replied that Nagumo couldn't talk, seeing as he hadn't gone to college as well. Somehow that brought life into Suzuno who had watched calmly until then. He had grabbed Nagumo's collar and pulled him away before he could burst into any of his tirades.

Suzuno had then taken over Nagumo's lecture albeit in a far calmer and colder pace then the fiery redhead. After Kariya once again refused, they went to the most desperate of measures. They got Saginuma. Every child in Sun Garden feared him for his three-hour long lectures. Kariya didn't feel like listening to that. He already had a headache from the other nagging adults and thus he had given in.

So here he was, sitting grudgingly at the kitchen table and working down the breakfast Hitomiko had prepared for him. Today was his first day going to college and everybody thought it necessary to make a big deal out of it. So were other children staring more than usual, had Hitomiko prepared him breakfast (though he didn't mind that one that much), Hiroto had promised to take him to college without Kariya actually asking for it (also not really complaining, more that he didn't like it that Hiroto had been the one driving through), Tenma had been nagging him about which school he would go to, Saginuma had called him yesterday and had held his lecture on good behaviour and good grades for three and a half hour, and lastly Nagumo and Suzuno had thought it funny to wave him off.

Kariya glared towards the other side of the table where the fierce and cold adults were happily eating a piece of toast, shooting him triumphant looks from time to time.

Kariya growled as he shovelled the last bits of egg inside, getting strange looks from the other children around the table in the progress.

They thought that he should stop complaining, because apparently he was smart enough to go to college and Hiroto was paying for it. So why was he being so ungrateful?

Kariya got to his feet and grabbed his bag.

"Masaki, your tie." Hitomiko held out the dreadful item. Kariya glared at it for a couple of seconds and then snatched it from her hand. He stamped out of the kitchen and made his way out as quickly as possible. It would still be a couple more minutes before Hiroto would be there to pick him up. Kariya sat down on the grass with a deep sigh.

"So~ how is our student-to-be doing?" Nagumo plopped down next to Kariya, Suzuno at the other side of the teal-haired boy.

"Don't you have anything better to do?" Kariya glared towards the redhead, but he only laughed.

"And miss seeing that look of pure annoyance on your face? Hell, that's what I live for."

"Plus I would really like to know why you actually agreed to go to college while you were so against it," Suzuno questioned.

"What? I just didn't feel like listening to one of Saginuma-nii's three-hour long speeches," Kariya said, shrugging.

"Oh, come on, brat. I'm sure there is some other reason. Maybe a gal?" Nagumo nudged him in the side. Kariya frowned, but the blush on his face didn't go unnoticed.

"There's no one, really."

"Then why are you blushing?"

"Because you asked it out of the blue."

"Still – "

"Stop it, Nagumo." Suzuno didn't want those two in a full-blown argument. Nagumo pouted slightly while Kariya seemed utmost relieved. Then, he quickly got to his feet when he spotted the cabriolet from Hiroto.

"Well, look at that. I thought you didn't want to go to college?" Hiroto said as he stepped out of the car while Kariya hurried towards it, Suzuno and Nagumo on his heels.

"I don't, but anywhere is better than with those two." Kariya glared over his shoulder towards the two with Nagumo staring nonchalantly to the side while Suzuno's eyes flicked towards the tie in Kariya's hand.

Midorikawa, who had also gotten out of the car, followed the man's glance and sighed.

"Masaki, you're supposed to wear that around your neck," he said.

"Eh, what?" Kariya's eyes also flew towards his hands and then sighed in annoyance. "Do I really have to wear it?"

"Yes, of course you have to wear it. Honestly, you're as terrible with them as Hiroto." Midorikawa rolled his eyes while Kariya pouted.

"I'm not terrible with them. I know how to tie one."

"Oh, really? Please do show." Nagumo smirked while Kariya shot him a death glare. Though he had barely laid the thing around his neck or Midorikawa snatched the ends from his hands. With quick fingers Midorikawa tied it and straightened the boy's uniform.

"There. Much better." Midorikawa nodded contently as he stepped back and admired his work.

"Tch, I could've done it myself." Kariya already started loosening the killer grip the tie had on his neck, but Midorikawa slapped his hands away.

"Yes, you could have, but it would be a mess. You do need to look good on your first day of college." Midorikawa said while Kariya pouted and the four adults eyed him in his new uniform.

"Can we go now?" he growled and that seemed to snap the adults out of their trance.

"Yes, get in." Hiroto motioned to the back while he went to the driver's seat while Midorikawa sat down on the passenger's seat. To Kariya's annoyance, Nagumo climbed into the car as well.

"What are you doing?"

"Bringing you to school." Nagumo smirked as Suzuno placed a hand on the teal-haired boy's shoulder and made him sit down in the car, Suzuno sitting at the other side of him.

Kariya didn't say a word until Nagumo decided to bother him again.

"Say? This girl, is she pretty?"

"I told you there is no one!"

"Hmm? What's this? Are you in love, Masaki?" Hiroto asked.

"No."

"Yes, he is," Nagumo talked right through him.

"I'm not!"

"If you're not then why are you turning red?"

"Because this tie is strangling me."

"Then you should turn blue."

"Shut up, Haruya. Leave him be. Not anyone wants to talk about the girl they like." Finally Nagumo was quiet. Thank heavens for Suzun–

"He might like a guy instead."

Never mind.

Kariya choked. "A-a guy!?"

"What? You'll never know." Suzuno shrugged while Nagumo laughed so hard he was gasping for air. Kariya let out a deep sigh.

When they finally arrived, Kariya couldn't get out of the car any quicker. He just had to enter the grounds and he would be rid of his 'brothers' until summer. Just keep cool, don't lose your head and be sure that Nagumo wouldn't do anything –

"See you in the summer again, Masaki-chan!" Nagumo yelled from his seat next to Suzuno, grinning broadly as he waved.

– embarrassing.

Everyone within a fifty meter radius turned around towards the red cabriolet and the waving men while Kariya decided to pretend to be either deaf or oblivious, whichever they preferred.

Finally he was inside the school and away from the idiocy he called home. Until the summer nonetheless.

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After the introduction Kariya quickly found his pace in classes, lectures, brakes, everything. Before he knew it, it was already Friday (yes, his judgement of time got quite messed up too).

The apartment Hiroto had gotten him was already fully arranged when he got there after the introduction. It was an apartment in the heart of the city (pretty damn expensive), no room-mates (lonely, but better than having to deal with those everyday), and close to enough food joints, because obviously he couldn't cook and Hiroto gave him money anyway.

He started to feel like a rich, spoiled kid, but you didn't hear him complain. For once he finally didn't feel pitiful, or left behind.

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_They say that college is much harder than high school. I agree with that. It's horrible, if not downright deadly. I don't know how Saginuma-nii, Hiroto-nii, Suzuno-nii and Midorikawa-nii ever got through this hell. Is this part of my destiny too? Destiny is intertwined with life. Destiny. Something silly as well. I don't believe in the crap of life already being written out for you. Maybe it is just a little. Like with every decision you make the path you walk changes a little, thus creating your own future. They say that, when your parents leave you at an orphanage is destiny too. Yeah, you were born to do great things if your parents ditched you. That's destiny for you, or rather, me. Yep, a lonely destiny. The lonesome destiny of Kariya Masak-_

"What the he– " he had been so occupied with his philosophical thoughts that he hadn't watched where he walked. And if someone is sprinting down the hall, they wouldn't have the time to dodge a dreamy teenager now, would they?

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot my bag and I have to run back now. Excuse me and … I'm sorry," the girl said, bowing quickly before sprinting past him without saying another word.

He stared after her. Somehow she seemed really familiar, but he couldn't lay his finger on it. Oh right, she was in the same course as him. They shared quite a lot of lectures.

_Ah, whatever. Where was I again? Oh yeah, my lonely life. Hm, what lesson did I have today again?_

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**That's this chapter. Well, it's more of an intro, but whatever.**

**I don't know how regularly I will update this, but I'll try.**

**Laters.**


	2. Some Love Confessions

**Sorry for the late update, folks! College is giving me a buttload of work to do *sigh***

**It's a short chapter but I wanted to at least post something...**

**Disclaimer I don't own Inazuma Eleven at all**

**Enjoy...**

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**Philosophy in College | Chapter 2 | Some Love Confessions **

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_Is it just me or is trust somewhat of a matter of course? People simply expect you to put your trust in them, right? _

_I don't work that way anymore. Before my eleventh I did, but not anymore. I mean, when your parents leave you because they don't have money at the moment and then never come to pick you up again does leave a scar, you know. _

_It's been seven years since I was left at Sun Garden. I'm eighteen and theoretically an adult (insert snort here). I don't particularly crave for my parents to still come back and pick me up, but it would be better for my emotional state when they at least came by once and explained to me the exact reason as to why they left me to deal with _them_. Seriously, if anything will turn me insane, then it's the questions they ask. Like hell I like anyone. God damn Nagumo. He's such an ass. And Suzuno too once Nagumo's on a roll, and mostly he does it unintentionally, I think. I hope... _

"Kariya-kun?" a girl with light pink hair had come to walk next to him. He grunted in a way of response.

She fiddled a bit, blushing just as pink as her hair, Kariya noticed.

"I was wondering … if we could uhm... hang out perhaps? Sometime?" she asked hopefully, looking with big eyes at him.

"Depends," he answered, shrugging nonchalantly. "I'm not really all that interested in that."

"Oh," she let her head droop down in disappointment. He shot her a long look before walking off. He didn't have the time to feel sorry. If he didn't study properly enough he would get _another_ lecture from Saginuma and he definitely had had enough of those for a lifetime.

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When he opened the door to his apartment he heaved a sigh. He had been living here for only two weeks and already it was a complete mess.

He dropped his bag on the table and threw his coat on the couch; it wasn't much use putting them away anyway.

He walked to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, wrinkling his nose when there wasn't anything edible in it. Great, now he had to go out again and to the shops.

After slamming the door of the refrigerator shut and snatching his coat from the couch again, he was out of his apartment in no time. Stamping through the streets to the nearest supermarket to get himself some instant ramen and food to take to school the next day.

As he went through the shelves in the isle he heard girls muttering and giggling, but chose to ignore them in favour of examining the differences between two brands of instant ramen.

"Ano..?" a soft yet determined voice spoke up behind him.

Kariya stood up straight and looked over his shoulder to see a girl with long curly hair looking nervously at him, her clique of friends giggling behind her and shooting motivating looks at her.

"I was wondering if – if you'd want to go on a date with me?" she started off nervously but halfway through she rushed the words out, looking hopefully up at him.

Kariya hadn't bothered to turn around, and was still looking at her from over his shoulder, eyeing her. What was it with girls asking him those kind of things today? He really did not have the time for it.

"I can't," he simply stated, making the eyes of the girl go big. He looked back at the shelves again and placed one of the two instant ramen brands away, concluding the other seemed better edible.

He wanted to walk to cash register when the girl caught his arm and clung to it, looking incredibly desperate as tears formed in her eyes.

"Why? W-why can't you?" she stuttered, letting the tears roll over her cheeks.

Kariya looked at her, his eyes only giving away annoyance by her insistence.

"Do I have to give a reason?" he questioned, keeping his voice levelled.

"Y-yes!" she demanded, sniffing, "You have already turned down so many girls, s-so I thought that maybe I had a c-chance, that y-you were looking for a c-certain girl. Why am I not the girl you like!?"

"So annoying," Kariya muttered, looking away from the girl for a moment as more tears started to fall.

"W-what?" she hiccuped, her voice higher than before.

He returned his gaze on her, now not letting through any emotion whatsoever.

"You're annoying. Whatever gave you the idea that you had a chance? I'm not looking for a girl like you at all – a girl who can't even take it when she gets turned down and breaks down in tears. It annoys me," he finished and pulled his arm free from the petrified girl as she stared big eyed at him, tears dripping from her face onto the ground, leaving a sense of finality.

He quickly walked to the cash register, the cashier looking at him with something close to awe as Kariya emptied his shopping basket on the assembly line.

Kariya shot him a look that said: "hurry up, I'm hungry" and walked out of the shop after paying, without giving the heartbroken girl a second glance.

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_Live your life like you want to. That's the best way to just put it, isn't it? I think so too. Your parents might have had dreams they never accomplished, but that doesn't mean they get shoved on you now. It's your life. If they couldn't do what they wanted then that's their loss, right? But then again, that's just my opinion. Who cares anyway. Your family? Your _friends_? Does it matter all that much?_

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"Kariya Masaki?"

"Yes," Kariya said absent-mindedly, turning slightly to see who had said his name. It was the girl who had ran against him the day before.

"I didn't know you were going to this school," the girl said.

"What?" he blinked. "Have we met before?"

Now she blinked, giving him an indignified look. "Yes, we have."

"Can't remember," he said, shrugging, and then turned to continue walking back down the hall towards the exit.

"Sorano Aoi," the girl yelled after him, making him stop and turn his head to look at her with a frown.

"Sorano? What is it with her?" he asked.

She let out a growl in annoyance. "I'm Aoi, you idiot!"

He was quiet for a while, eyeing her from tip to toe and back up. Then, he looked forward again, thinking his words over for a moment before saying, "Shouldn't you be in the same school as Tenma?"

"Why should I?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"I don't know, maybe because you two are childhood _friends_." he said, not doing any effort to hide his annoyance while still not looking at her.

"That may be, but that doesn't mean I have to go to the same school as him. Why is it that you are cutting all contact with everyone from Raimon?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, it does," she huffed. "I thought you had finally opened up into trusting people a bit more, but now that you go to a different school you start closing again."

"You can't trust anyone," he simply said and started to walk away, "that's what I believe."

"Then," Aoi sighed, "I won't ask you to trust me, but would you at least consider us talking together."

"Don't you mean being friends?" Kariya asked dryly.

"No, because I know you hate that word. Acquaintances is good enough," she said before quietly adding, "for now at least."

"What?" Kariya frowned at her.

"Nothing," she said quickly, smiling brightly.

Kariya gave her a searching look before continuing to walk towards the exit. "Do whatever you like."

"Oh I will," she said slyly as he turned the corner and was out of sight.

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**So again, I'm not sure when I'll update it, but I'll update it sometimes... So please bear with me.**

**Laters!**


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